In 2010, Viva Mexico was bought by Antonio Gonzalez and David de Orta Jimenez, two childhood friends from Iztapalapa, Mexico City. The boys are both chefs.

Don’t ask for nachos here. By the same token, don’t expect your tacos to come in hard shells, at Viva Mexico, a taco is a folded, fresh tortilla, smelling and tasting of ground maize rather than cardboard.

The grandmothers of them were very good friends and organized lot of posadas and communitary events. Both, Doña Lupe and Doña Rosa recipes were an inspiration for all the actual flavors at Viva Mexico. Their families know well each other over 50 years.

By chance Antonio came to New Zealand and invite David to become part of the only one and authentic mexican restaurant. Another important person in this story is the anonymous investor Carlos Eduardo Cerda from México. Subsequently, they invited Luis to follow through on the dream that is already a reality.